AS First Speaker of the Council of Prime, Jan Darzek finds himself in a neighbouring galaxy where planetary civilisations are being destroyed in an almost straight-line of destruction that is heading straight into the Home Galaxy. But Darzek is suffering from all the cares of the worlds that his position had laid on his shoulders (and only a single pair of those at that!!). When asked for help, Prime tells all those concerned to meet on the previously unheard of world of Montura, a planet dedicated to trade by those members of the Small Magellanic Cloud who don't have transmitter technology. Prime also suggests that a member of Darzek's own race be hired to aide them in this dangerous mission. Effe Schlupe, his former companion in crime, now seventy five but bored solid on Earth, readily joins Rok Wllon when he comes for her but she realises that her skills aren't suitable for this particular mission and Supreme determines that a struggling Doctor by the name of Marlina Darr is recruited for the traditional million dollars. A fair bit of the book covers Dr Darr's adaption to galactic life and the struggle to keep control of her children.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel that Mr Biggle is as involved with this novel as the first two though some of the writing has it's moments of the humour that makes his writing such fun. ( )

At least from the first three chapters (to p. 23) this resembles Monument not at all. ?áIt reads like a parody of political intrigue mixed w/ space opera, kinda-sorta. ?áAnyway, I was both bored and annoyed, not to mention disappointed. ?áThe only review of substance I could find online was Kirkus, and they don't rec. it either. ?áMoving along....